How Pakistan can qualify for World Cup semi-final after Bangladesh win?

Pakistan ended their four-match losing streak in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 with a resounding seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh at Eden Gardens on Tuesday. 

This crucial win propelled Pakistan to the fifth spot on the points table, accumulating six points from three wins out of seven matches. While Pakistan remains in contention for a semi-final spot, they face a challenging road ahead.

To secure a place in the top four on the points table, they must win their remaining matches against New Zealand and England, accumulating a total of ten points. 

Moreover, they need Australia and New Zealand to lose all their remaining matches, and hope that Afghanistan wins just one of their three remaining fixtures, particularly the game against Australia.

In this scenario, New Zealand, Australia, and Afghanistan would finish with eight points each, allowing Pakistan to advance with ten points. However, this journey is fraught with obstacles, as Australia, currently in the fourth spot with eight points and have their remaining matches against England, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. The five-time champions are favored to secure at least two wins and reach 12 points, securing a semi-final berth.

New Zealand, currently in the third spot with eight points, has matches against South Africa, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. For Pakistan to surpass them, they must not only win against New Zealand but also hope for a significant difference in run rate, provided both teams finish with ten points.

Afghanistan, currently in the sixth spot with six points, could pose a threat to Pakistan's qualification. Pakistan needs Afghanistan to continue their impressive form by defeating Australia while losing their other two fixtures to end with eight points. If Afghanistan manages to win two of their remaining three matches, Pakistan will need to improve their net run rate to bolster their case for a semi-final spot.

However, if Afghanistan wins all their remaining games and accumulates 12 points, Pakistan's chances of qualification will be extinguished. Therefore, Pakistan's path to the semi-finals depends on multiple external factors, but their first priority is to win all their remaining matches for these scenarios to come into play.